Match Of The Day A Few Quick Thoughts – Week 1
Dan Tracey
August 13, 2017
2,154 Views
- The matches are all other the place what with the season starting on a Friday so I’ll give my review in terms of the Match Of The Day running order
- Burnley rightfully grab all the headlines after their sensational win at Stamford Bridge
- 3-2 may suggest that it was a close game but to be honest it does not really tell half the tale
- Sean Dyche’s men raced into a 3-0 lead before the break which left the champions shellshocked
- The complexion of the game was undoubtedly changed by Gary Cahill’s early sending off
- Whether Burnley would have built up that half time buffer if it was 11 vs 11 we will never know
- But you can only play against what is front of you and the team that only won once away all season certainly did that
- Chelsea did look better after the break, to be honest they had to after such a meek start to their title defence
- Alvaro Morata got off the mark for his new employers after coming off the bench to make it 3-1 but he somewhat blotted his copy book soon after
- His unnecessary touch on the goalline from Andreas Christensen‘s effort saw what should have been a legitimate goal ruled out
- That would have made it 3-2 and heaped the pressure back on Burnley
- Pressure which was illeviated when Cesc Fabregas was sent off with 10 minutes remaining
- After sarcastically applauded a referee’s decision soon after Cahill’s sending off he then was reckless in a tackle which gave Craig Pawson no option to show the Spaniard a second yellow card
- Fabregas can have no complaints especially as that tackle could have warranted a red in its own right
- With just 9 men, Chelsea had no real right to get themselves back in the game
- But David Luiz would volley home from close range to set up a grandstand finish
- There was still time for Burnley to hit a post again after Robbie Brady’s free kick and although Chelsea threw what players they had left on the pitch forward they could not find a dramatic equaliser
- Antonio Conte will be demanding new players before the transfer window ends
- Burnley have got off to a dream start
- Also off to a dream start are Huddersfield
- They sit top of the Premier League after the first saturday thanks to their 3-0 win over Crystal Palace
- Selhurst Park saw two managers make their debuts in this division as Frank De Boer and David Wagner went head to head and it was the later who would be celebrating come 4:50pm
- Steve Mounie will have been the toast of the town last night after his double secured an emphatic victory at Selhurst Park
- It was however a Joel Ward own goal which opened the scoring for Huddersfield but after that it was Mounie’s afternoon
- His first was a header from a neat Aaron Mooy cross, the second 12 minutes from time was lashed home from close range
- A nightmare start for Frank De Boer as he looked to adpat Palace’s playing style from last season
- That is going to take time but they can ill afford too many results like that in the short term
- Watford vs Liverpool you can read via this link
- Arsenal vs Leicester you can read via this link
- Brighton vs Manchester City you can read via this link
- If you were writing the Everton script yesterday then of course you would have Wayne Rooney score the winner
- His goal in first half injury time was the difference as Ronald Koeman’s new look side got off to a winning start
- It may be a team that still needs to gel but there will be some signs of encouragement
- To be honest though they were barely threatened by Stoke who only required Jordan Pickford to make just one save of any real note
- That came late on as his agiltity made sure Everton ran out winners and also showed a glimpse of just why he is England’s most expensive goalkeeper
- For Stoke it is another opening day defeat, Arsenal next week and they will look to once again make life uncomfortable for The Gunners
- West Brom also got off to a winning start and new signing Ahmed Hegazi will have endeared himself to the Baggies faithful
- The Egyptian defender got the games only goal and more annoyingly also earned 15 FPL points
- Had I not benched him I would be sitting top at the time of writing
- You win some you lose some I guess
- A win for Tony Pulis but defeat for Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth
- Not the start The Cherries would have wanted but it’s not a result they will necessarily dwell on either
- Southampton and Swansea, nothing really to write home about
- I guess they will both be glad with a share of the points to get them off the mark
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